'Attack the Block' - case study

Attack the Block was a hybrid genre film written and directed by British comedian Joe Cornish. It spanned across the sci-fi, horror, comedy and action genres which could've been one of the reasons why this film was financially unsuccessful as the audience is diluted. It was produced by Screen Gems, Film4, Studio canal and Big talk productions for around $13million with some funding from the UK film council and only made about half of that back in terms of box office takings. Apparently over time it eventually broke even but overall it was financially unsuccessful. The film featured John Boyega, Judie Whitaker and some less renowned actors. It was distributed in the UK by Optimum releasing and in the USA by Sony. 

Representation

At the beginning of this film the setting is established as well as the key characters and their alien opposition. It starts with a scene where predominantly black teenagers mug a white woman. Already we can see a plethora or stereotypes used to represent the characters. Jodie Whitaker is dressed as a stereotypical middle class woman with brighter clothing whilst John Boyega and his group are dressed in hoodies, baseball caps and bandanas (stereotypical). The surrounding graffiti and presence of knives heightens the negative representation of south London and its residents. The group speaks in thick south London dialect, using slang and a prominent accent to outline their residence and add to the stereotype. In contrast, Jodie Whitaker's character speaks with a more 'traditional' London accent. The ominous music used to establish danger is supported by the dark and cold lighting. In terms of camera work, low angles are used to add a sense of superiority to the gang, with high angles of the woman to make her appear weaker in comparison. Joe Cornish is aware that he is using many stereotypes and does this on purpose because the plot continues to unravel these stereotypes as it progresses.  

Following on from this section I watched the next 5 minutes. In this 5 minutes we are introduced to many new characters including a group of girls, an old woman and a boy called Brewis. We are presented more establishing shots of 'the block' from predominantly low angles to outline a sense of power. We can see a nail salon, the council estate and a social area which all support the working lass mood. Sam (Jodie Whitaker) meets this older white woman who is presented as middle class (like Sam) through the interior features of her apartment and her attire. She is dressed in what could be considered stereotypical clothing for an older upper class white woman which is supported by her well furnished and well lit apartment. When Sam is in this apartment with the lady the mood is very different. The soundtrack stops and the camera work is very slow and smooth with stable close-ups to outline Sam's comfortable and safe mental state in this setting. This is starkly contrasted by the dark lighting, non-diegetic sound, fast past cuts and handheld camera movement of the outdoor scenes including Moses and his gang. The sci-fi/hip-hop music which is used in the outdoor scenes to represent the situation and the characters featured adds further suspense. As well as using costuming, set design and dialect to create a stereotypical old white woman character the director also utilises these factors to introduce us to new stereotypes. The first stereotype represents working class girls from south London which is made evident by their abrasive outfits and thick south London dialect (slang and swearing) - similar to the group of boy. Brewis is an upper-class white man who only comes to the area to buy drugs, his outfit, hairstyle and accent all play into the upper-class stereotype which adds a sense of relatability and comedy when we hear him listening to boom-bap rap - possible admires the lifestyle of the other characters. 

Essay Question: "Representations in media texts are often simplistic and reinforce dominant ideologies so that audiences can make sense of them." Evaluate the ways that a media product you have studied has used or challenged simplistic representations. (12)     

"Attack the block" is a hybrid sci fi film directed by comedian Joe Cornish in 2011. Typically films use stereotypes more excessively than novels or series' as there is less time to form a detailed character development/ foundation. Attack the block is no exception from this convention however the director cleverly used stereotypes to create an underlying meaning in this light hearted film.  

At the start of the film Joe Cornish reinforces dominant UK ideologies through his use of stereotyping. It starts with a group of predominantly black youths in Brixton mugging a middle class white woman. This plays on white anxiety in London and reinforces the dominant ideologies of black youths being criminal and praying on white people, fuelled by the media. This is heavily supported through mis en scene, with the group of kids being stereotypically dressed in all black with bandanas, knives and baseball caps whilst the middle class woman is dressed in lighter and possibly less 'abrasive' clothing. This class divide is further illustrated through the use of dialogue — with the group speaking in a thick London accent and using slang whilst the woman speaks in 'proper english'. The dark setting with street art all serves to add to this dominant ideology and present the group of kids as dangerous to the woman. 

As the film progresses Joe Cornish starts to break and challenge these stereotypes which he established at the start of the film and I think that a key purpose of this film is to challenge the class system and dominant ideologies surrounding it in the UK. The main character Moses is firstly introduced as the most dangerous member of the group and the leader though his deeper voice, height difference and commanding mentality whilst also being the only person we see carry a knife. Towards the end we are able to see his true personality, the cowardly nature represented at the start is directly contrasted at the end when he becomes the hero and strives to save his block from the danger (which was originally him.) The inversion of his moral compass in this film paired with the companionship of the different classes and races portrayed in this block really flips the dominant ideologies reinforced at the start on their heads. The plot slowly unravels who Moses is as a character and shows that he is just a normal person like anyone else who's circumstances led him to go against who he truly is; this vulnerability and normality is outlined when Sam (white woman) is looking around his room and he has family portraits, spider-man bed covers etc. There is a pivotal and telling moment at the end when Sam is asked about Moses by the police, who think he is a criminal, when she says that he is just here neighbour. Unifying the class system. 

Genre 

Daniel Chandler's genre theory states that conventional definitions of genres tend to be based on the notion that they constitute particular conventions of content (such as themes or settings) and/or form (including structure and style) which shared by the texts which are regarded as belonging to them. Basically codes are things we see typically across productions in a genre and conventions are the methods they typically use. Attack the block genre codes and conventions: 

Referencing Attack the Block from 1:15 to 1:27, explain how generic codes and conventions have been used to create meaning (12) 

Attack the Block (d. Joe Cornish, 2011) is a hybrid genre film which does feature a slight socially commentary however the main purpose is for simple entertainment. The last 10 minutes display Attack the block's primary genres clearly and we are able to see the Horror/Action/Sci fi cross over conventions. 

Slow motion is a genre convention of most action films, in this section we can see the main protagonist Moses run in slow motion from the creatures. The director has done this because it adds tension and excitement to amplify the climax of the film to satisfy the audience's want for diversion and entertainment. Joe Cornish also uses the horror genre convention of slow paced editing and music at the start of the sequence in order to build tension and also heighten the severity of the climax and contrast the fast paced cuts in the ending sequence ― again this adds engagement and excitement. One convention implemented from the sci―fi genre is the use of CGI and although it may not be very high budget like the average scifi film it still represents and outerwordly being as with most films from this genre. This increases the unusual setting of the film, often a fictional event like this would occur in a big glamorous city or outer space however in this film aliens are invading a random council estate in south London never really shown in a horror, action or scifi film. This gives the film a USP in order to increase sales and memorability (even though unsuccessful.) As well as giving the film a unique selling point it also adds an aspect of interest for the audience as they aren't used to seeing it documented which has a deeper purpose ― attempting to tackle the asymmetrical judgment of the working class by the upper class. The single stranded narrative is typical of horror films and has been used in Attack the Block to give the audience a simple and predictable plot to follow, they don't have to watch the film with too much scrutiny and can just enjoy it which adds to the entertainment gratification. 

Narrative

Apply the concept of narrative to a media product you have studied (12)

'Attack the block' is a hybrid-genre film directed by comedian Joe Cornish in 2011. It focuses on a group of boys in South London fighting an alien invasion on their block. Narrative refers to the way in which stories are told, how meaning is constructed to achieve the understanding of the audience. In film, narrative is constructed through camera work, lighting, sound, mis-en-scene etc. We use them to make sense of our lives and the world. There are many approaches to understanding narratives devised by various philosophers over the years. 2000 years ago Aristotle observed that all narratives had a beginning, middle and end. Attack the block conforms to this as it has a very linear narrative with no flashbacks, multi-strands etc. The plot pretty much takes place in real time. There is a clear beginning where the boys are mugging the girl and a clear end where Moses is taken away in the police van. This film is also adherent to Toderov's narrative stages theory where there is a disturbance to equilibrium and then a resolution to form a new equilibrium. At the start of the film we see the stereotypical London equilibrium where a group of young black boys mug a middle class white woman. This equilibrium is then disturbed by an alien invasion on their block - the group of boys alongside the woman defeat these aliens (resolution) which creates the new equilibrium where the protagonist is seen as a hero as opposed to a coward. Theorist Vladimir Propp studied hundreds of Russian folk stories before deciding that all narratives have a common structure - they are shaped by different character types. He said there are 7 roles which any character may fall under in a narrative story. In Attack the Block there is a clear Villain (Aliens) and Hero (Moses.) Which indicates that this film also follows Levi Strauss' binary opposition theory where there is a conflict between one element and another and they directly contrast. In Attack the Block we are also able to notice most of Propp's other roles; Brewis is the donor in this film because he gives the hero knowledge that he wouldn't be able to restore equilibrium without. Many of the characters around the hero can be seen as helpers such as his friends, Sam etc because they make assist the hero in his quest. There is no clear false hero in this film and no clear dispatcher because they dispatch themselves. I would say that the 'Block' is probably the princess in this film as it is protected and seen as an objective by the hero. As I mentioned this film follows binary opposition theory where there is a conflict between two sides. Some examples of binary oppositions which Attack the Block displays include; black vs white, good vs evil, rich vs poor, boy vs girl, domestic vs foreign, young vs old and etc. In summary, Attack the Block is adhered to many narrative structures and theories such as Propp's character theory, Levi Strauss' binary opposition theory, Toderov's narrative stages theory and Aristotle's progression theory alongside many others. Its single stranded linear narrative means that it lends itself well to narrative codes and works well with the stereotypes and USP which is showcases. 

Regulation/effects theory

The BBFC is the film regulator in the UK. Their focus is on helping children and families choose which films are suitable to watch by providing them with guidance. Their responsibility/role is to protect children and vulnerable adults from imagery that will negatively affect them. They are industry funded and operated because the industry doesn't want government intervention as this creates further bias. The industry does not want to lose this privilege and therefore the BBFC is generally accurate and reliable. Trading standards and law enforcement officers have the power to seize illegal video works. The BBFC are designated by the department of culture, media and sport to provide evidence to help secure convictions under the terms of the video recordings act 1984. 

They have been classifying film in the UK for over 100 years and video for over 30. In 1909 the cinematograph act arrived which gave local authorities the power to provide or withold licenses for cinemas in their region. In 1912 the BBFC what created by the film industry to ensure uniformity for film classification decisions. Over the years legislation and categories developed to the (U,PG,12/12A,15,18,R) as well decisions over drugs and violence. They cut scenes out of many films in the past. The video recordings act was passed in 1984 and the BBFC was designated as the authority to regulate video (also changed form the British board of film censorship to the British board of film classification.) In 2002 12 was replaced by 12A meaning 12 or parent accompany. 

They regulate films exhibited at cinemas and video works such as television programmes, trailers, adverts, campaigns etc released in the UK. 

BBFC Age ratings: U - Suitable for all ages "should be set within a positive framework and should offered reassuring counterbalances to violence." PG - General viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young audiences "should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older." 12A - Not generally suitable for children aged under 12 and adults planning to take a child under 12 to a film must accompany them, no violent or antisocial behaviour endorsed. 15 - violent and unhealthy behaviour can be shown in further detail but on the whole it is not endorsed or dwelled on. 18- only exceptions to this are when it breaches law or is dangerous or explicit, no viewers under 18. 

Two case studies for example: 

Minions (Kyle Balda, 2015) distributed by Universal Pictures was given a U rating by the BBFC. They gave it this rating because there was only mild violence and language where no one is realistically hurt. There was controversy about this rating because of the torture scenes and noose in the trailer however I agree that overall it is suitable for everyone. 

13 reasons why (Tom McCarthy, 2016) distributed by Netflix was given an 18 after controversy about it's original 15 rating. This rating was increased because of how it dwelled on suicide alongside any other touchy subjects which they felt best placed it into 18. I agree with this decision because it could be too disturbing for a younger audience. 

Marketing

Ways in which 'Attack the Block' was advertised both above the line (ATL) and below the line (BTL.) 

Above the line marketing refers to forms of marketing which use mass media to market to a wide audience. Mediums such as radio, TV etc  when it is targeted wide instead of directly. The effectiveness and return investment is hard to calculate with ATL advertisement. One ATL method used to promote 'Attack the Block' was a website which had many tabs which gave information about the film, one of these tabs was called 'Game' which directed the viewer to iTunes where they were able to sell a soundtrack, podcast, the film itself and a game. They also released a Youtube trailer which got 2.5 million views and a positive like:dislike ratio which supports the overall positive reviews of the film on site like IMDb (6.8/10) Other methods of ATL used to promote the film include Posters, Magazine ads, Comic Con, Merchandise and social media pages. 

Below the line marketing refers to direct marketing where a person has had this film advertised to them based on their interests tailored by data collected on social media and google. What this means is that although many of the methods I talked about were ATL because anyone could stumble across them, the ways in which traffic was drawn to these platforms was most likely BTL through facebook ads, google analytics etc. For example if someone had watched a sci fi film trailer on youtube they may be recommended the Attack the Block trailer because they have been profiled as a sci fi fan. 

TV Drama case studies

For this task I'll be comparing one TV drama I have previously watched and one that I haven't. This means watching a couple of episodes from a drama new to me. I'll be comparing Breaking bad (previously seen) and Killing eve (BBC 3) - looking at similarities, differences and how well they conform to genre conventions.  

What are the typical conventions of TV dramas?

As stated in my BBC research post - Television dramas work in a serialised format meaning it works in an episode to episode way with the the plot in each episode following on from the previous episode. They typically run for between 45 and 60 minutes and have opening branding/ credits which symbolically introduce the show. They are based on a fictional narrative which typically relies on the audience believing that the events could happen in real life - this makes the plot and characters gripping as viewers are able to apply the information. They are heavily character driven, providing audiences with emotional relation and pleasure. TV dramas feature a plethora of character types including: The Villain, The Donor, The helper, The princess, The false hero, The dispatcher and The Hero (Propp's theory.) As stated by Levi Strauss' opposition theory all of these characters are opposed by different characters. TV dramas have an ongoing structure, where normality is disturbed and then this disturbance is overcome which leads to a new normal, only for the cycle to continue. Audiences tend to have different expectations based on genres for example different types of criminals caught every episode in a crime drama. The audience get pleasure by learning more about the characters as the programme progresses, seeing how they interact and gaining an insight into their personal life which may not be seen by characters in the plot. 

How do my chosen dramas adhere to these conventions? 

Both programmes work in a serialised format with Breaking bad having 5 seasons (62 episodes) and Killing Eve has 3 seasons (24 episodes.) Episodes in both of these programmes are around 45 minutes long which is also adherent to the typical length of a television drama and gives them sufficient amounts of time to develop character narratives whilst retaining attention and giving deep detail. Both are also based on a fictional narrative which viewers can believe happens in real life - Breaking bad revolves around a high school teacher who cooks meth to pay for his caner treatment whilst Killing eve looks at a Mi6 agent who becomes obsessed with a female assassin. In both of these series the Villain and Hero are unclear and the audience feels aligned with both sides of the spectrum, the line between good and bad fades. In breaking bad the viewer switches frequently between understanding and sympathising with Walter (main character) as we can see the justification of him committing crimes. Similar to this, the audience can often feel annoyed at Eve (main character in Killing Eve) when she gest too engulfed in catching the assassin and her moral compass fades. I feel like this is narrative is effective is retaining the attention of the viewer because their opinion and how they relate to the characters constantly changes as more information is shared. Whilst the donor, the helper, the princess and the false hero often change in these dramas, they both have very clear dispatchers. In Breaking Bad the dispatcher is called 'Gus' and he is the cartel kingpin who controls Walter and how much he has to produce. In Killing Eve both sides have a clear dispatcher, Eve's dispatcher is called Carolyn and she assigns her places to visit and tasks to complete whilst Villainelle's dispatcher 'Konstantin' tells her who she has to kill. 

Audience pleasures

This theory was a popular approach to understanding the mass media consumer and states that there are 4 reasons why people consume different pieces of media. The first states that people consume media for the purpose of escapism/diversion and I think this is extremely relevant in TV dramas because they tend to be tailored very heavily towards entertainment and thrill seeking which is why the majority of them are aimed towards younger demographics. This is often supported through the use of fast paced visuals and music with lots of violence and conflict between good and bad. In Breaking Bad thrilling situations are often created by Walter narrowly escaping capture and in Killing Eve it is created through the conflict seen in Eve's relationships. Another reason people consume media is for the purpose of surveillance, gaining an insight into how others live and educating yourself. I think this is a valid gratification for Killing Eve and Breaking Bad because we are given a lot of insight into the characters personal relationships and the viewer is able to understand how and why different characters interact how they do. In Killing Eve we see Eve's relationship with her husband deteriorate as they plot progresses, showing the audience personal moments and interactions which no other character in the plot sees. Similarly, in Breaking Bad the audience sees lots of very intimate moments not seen by other characters such as his relationships, partners and plans. This all serves to add excitement and grips the viewer as they feel like they are gaining from consuming the episodes. Another key reason as to why people consume media is to try identify with the producer and aspects within a piece of media as well as to help form and develop their own personal identity. Killing Eve satisfies this audience pleasure by showing many different character archetypes and not really using any devices to portray these characters as good or bad - this means the viewers are able to form their own opinions and decide which characters they best identify with. Breaking Bad satisfies this audience pleasure by leaning way more towards Walter, making the audience like and feel for him despite him committing very illegal crimes - to remind us that what Walter does is illegal he is opposed by many different characters and this constantly flips the spectrum, changing the viewers' opinions on whether or not they want to identify with the protagonist. This adds interest as it distorts the audiences' moral compass which forces them to think deeper and evaluate. The final reason people view different forms of media relates to personal relationships. There are two strands involved, one is for the purpose of seeing how people in media form and maintain their own personal relationships then comparing to our own, and the other is so that we can form our own relationships with other viewers (being able to talk to someone about a piece of media.) Breaking bad had a record breaking 10.3 million viewers and Killing Eve had 8.3 million viewers. This insanely high viewership means that many people will have been able to talk about the programmes and likely formed relationships or found out about the programmes by talking - all showing that this is a prevalent audience pleasure of popular TV dramas. In addition both of these productions give insight into how different characters manage their relationships whilst hiding deep secrets such as stabbing a lady or being a drug dealer. Often showing the consequences of hiding things from your partner and the toll it can take on everyone involved which cold be applied to viewers' own relationships. 

Responding to the brief

Who is the client?

My client for the production of this TV drama is BBC 3 (BBC). "At BBC Three we're looking to celebrate what it is to be young and British today, and all our content must appeal to a young, diverse, UK-wide audience." BBC three is a channel (currently only on Iplayer) operated by the BBC. The BBC is the UK's largest public service broadcaster with media influence spanning across all sorts of media products from radio to film. BBC 3 is target at audiences aged 16-34 and they often cover more topical and controversial themes in their productions. However all of their recent productions such as Killing Eve and Fleabag have only been broadcasted online. For detailed research into the BBC and their audience considerations you can see my BBC research post. 

What do they want to create?

They would like to create a brand new television drama specifically aimed at 16-21 year olds in order to tempt the younger audiences to watch the channel when it is placed back on TV in 2022. The production budget will be low (£80k-£100k per episode) and the programme must fit BBC3's style and ethos. 

What conventions will I need to follow?

There is a detailed explanation of what a TV drama is, their conventions and structure in my BBC research post. I will have to come up with a serialised programme with a continuous plot and episodes that last between 45 and 60 minutes. It should also be relatable for the audience and despite being fictional, be hyper realistic so that the viewers believe the plot could be true to real life. This means the audience will be more engaged and feel that they are gaining from consuming the programme. The series will be heavily character based with lots of detail into their lives. Each character will be opposed by a different one i.e protagonist vs antagonist - the changing dynamic between opposing characters will be the focus when an event disturbs normality (normally villain disturbs hero's equilibrium.) The Villain, The Donor, The helper, The princess, The false hero, The dispatcher and The Hero (Propp's theory) will all be featured. To ensure that it is a TV drama there will be frequent events which disturb normality which the characters are forced to overcome in order to achieve a new normal - and this will continue in a cycle. I will also play into the genre expectations of the audience ie. if the series was a crime drama then I would have to have crimes being committed to satisfy the viewers' wants. 

What does the client currently create/show? How will I make it relevant and consistent? 

The service produces and streams television and web series aimed at the demographic of 16 to 34-year-olds, with a particular focus on comedy and documentary programming. BBC 3 often approach and represent otherwise under/mis-represented and taboo subjects and groups. Examples include: 'This country', 'Fleabag', 'Young offenders' and Killing Eve alongside a plethora of documentary content which looks at drugs, crime, sexuality etc. When generating my ideas for a BBC 3 drama I will make sure to focus on topics which may not often be broadcasted on 'mainstream' channels - topics such as racism, trafficking, murder etc. Furthermore, I will make sure that my programme follows BBC3's current style, with 45 minute serialised episodes set in Britain (in the brief.) As the brief is to appeal to 16-21 year olds my programme will likely focus on younger people which will make the episodes more relatable and relevant to this TA. In addition, relevant issues will be outlined such as racism and sexism. To ensure consistency, the traits and development of the characters would be mapped out before creating the first episode so that nothing is contradicted or unintentionally confuses the audience. 

Who is the audience? How will I make it appealing?

BBC 3 as a channel is intended to appeal to 16-34 year olds and is majority preferred by women according to YouGov. For the programme we have been asked to write up the TA are aged between 16 and 21 which means the topics will have to be even more 'youthful' than BBC3's average content and look at issues that may particularly involve this demographic such as schooling, underage crime, becoming adults etc. The characters will be based off of younger stereotypes/ people - with more modern mannerisms and clothing. To make sure the TA is reached the programme would be advertised on mediums with a younger presence such as Instagram and Snapchat and graphics would be very current and up to date. I have outlined what the programme could include in the previous paragraph and I think these are factors which would both retain viewing and also attract it if advertised right. 

What does the audience already watch?

The majority of 16-21 year olds watch TV dramas on platforms such as Netflix, Amazon prime and Disney+ however series' such as 'This country' have drawn this younger 'digital' audience to BBC3 on Iplayer. When I researched into the programmes popular amongst this demographic it appeared that the majority of them focussed on the relationships and tribulations within a group of kids within the age bracket (typically around 16) - series' such as 'Stranger things', 'On my block', 'Sex education' etc. There has also been a rise in popularity amongst this demographic for animated TV dramas/ comedies such as 'Big mouth', 'Paradise PD' and 'Rick and Morty'. 

How could I ensure low production costs?

I would look at this animated model as a way to reduce production costs however BBC3's style doesn't involve animation at all and it would be harder to show conflict in certain UK areas/communities in an animated programme. Instead I will ensure low production costs by utilising various other aspects of physical production. The first factor is location - shooting somewhere like London would be very costly in comparison to the countryside as you would have to stop traffic and people etc. This is why I would shoot somewhere like Yorkshire where being in a city wouldn't cause as much disruption, whilst still having a wide variety of settings. Another factor which can lower the production cost is the choice of talent, using actors and crew members who are possibly not well established yet in the industry but still to a good enough quality - this means their rates will be lower. Other aspects such as gear and special effects can also be utilised to reduce the need of purpose built props or rigs as well as possibly overly good quality. 

What legal requirements must we consider? 

Talent consent must be acquired - forms which grant the producer the rights to feature the actor in the episodes, possibly outlining any risk or challenging moments. Without this the producer could be sued and the episodes unable to air. Location permission must be given to film anywhere especially if roads needed to be blocked etc. in which case the council would be involved as well as property owners. Risks assessments would also have to be done for every location to protect the staff and gear from injury/damage. To avoid copyright issues, obvious logos and promos will not be shown alongside un-owned artwork, songs, sounds and ideas. I must also abide by the 'Official secrets act 1911' and the prevention on terrorism act. This outlines the fact that there should be no wrongful communication of information in my production. I will also have to follow Ofcom's guidance on the protection of under 18s - ensuring that no content unsuitable for younger audiences such as bad language, drug use and sex is shown before the 9pm watershed. To help classify the age brackets of who is safe to watch this film would be the BBFC. The series would need to be age rated (17, PG etc.) Defamation law, employer rights and equal opportunities would also be taken into account and fair representation and opportunities would be shown. Confidentiality is another key factor in the production of any kind of media. Many things must be kept confidential so that other media production companies or outlets can't plagiarise or ruin your media product for the audience.

BBC Research

Who are the BBC?

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), founded by  is a public service broadcaster funded primarily by annual licensing fees paid by all UK households and companies using BBC channels or equipment. They are the world's oldest national broadcaster and the world's largest by number of employees. It has played a prominent role in British life and culture since WW2. They provide ten national TV channels, regional TV programmes, an internet TV service (BBC Three), 10 national radio stations, 40 local radio stations and an extensive website. Subsidiaries include BBC News, BBC weather, BBC radio and many more. 

What is BBC3?

BBC three was a 'free to air' TV channel operated by the BBC which was launched in 2003 to replace BBC choice. The services purpose was to provide innovative viewing for a target audience aged between 16 and 34. As a part of the BBC's £100 million budget cut in 2014 BBC three was discontinued as an open television service and moved to online viewing, being moved to BBC iplayer in 2016. The programmes on BBC 3 iplayer continue to be original and tackle more controversial issues for the same TA as when it was launched on air in 2003. Some of their most famous dramas include: Killing Eve, This country, Bridgerton and many more. 

Audience considerations 

The BBC is the 271st most popular brand in the world, being the 19th most famous with 60% of people having a positive opinion on it. According to 'YouGov' it is most popular among women in Generation X/millennials. 

BBC three is the 26th most popular TV channel and the second most famous (99% of people have heard of) according to 'YouGov'. It is most popular with millennials which means that they are effective in appealing to their target audience. In addition, BBC three is more popular amongst women (with 48% of women having a positive opinion.)  

What is a television drama? 

It is one of the most popular and longest running television genres due to its ability to cover a wide range of topics which has led to the inception of many sub-categories such as hospital dramas, costume dramas etc. According to the BFI, television dramas are the fictional recreation of real life stories . They typically last between 45 and 60 minutes, with famous examples including Breaking bad, Doctor Who, Orange is the new black and many many more. 

Who are BBC3's biggest competitors?

BBC 3 channels are shown exclusively on BBC's 'Iplayer' app/website. In terms of online streaming, Iplayer's biggest competitors are platforms such as Netflix, Prime video, Disney+, ITV Hub and ALL4. With similar content being released on all of these platforms besides Disney+. These are also probably BBC3's biggest competitors worldwide. In the UK channels such as E4, Itv2 and Itv3 produce/exhibit similar (controversial) content so I would say they are BBC3's biggest competitors in the UK as they also tend to the younger demographic. 

Television drama typical structure/conventions 

Television dramas work in a serialised format meaning it works in an episode to episode way with the the plot in each episode following on from the previous episode. They typically run for between 45 and 60 minutes and have opening branding/ credits which symbolically introduce the show. They are based on a fictional narrative which typically relies on the audience believing that the events could happen in real life - this makes the plot and characters gripping as viewers are able to apply the information. They are heavily character driven, providing audiences with emotional relation and pleasure. TV dramas feature a plethora of character types including: The Villain, The Donor, The helper, The princess, The false hero, The dispatcher and The Hero (Propp's theory.) As stated by Levi Strauss' opposition theory all of these characters are opposed by different characters. TV dramas have an ongoing structure, where normality is disturbed and then this disturbance is overcome which leads to a new normal, only for the cycle to continue. Audiences tend to have different expectations based on genres for example different types of criminals caught every episode in a crime drama. The audience get pleasure by learning more about the characters as the programme progresses, seeing how they interact and gaining an insight into their personal life which may not be seen by characters in the plot. 

Disney cross media and synergy: Moana

The Film 

Moana is a disney film released on the 23rd of November 2016 about a Hawaiian princess and her journey. The production budget for this film was between $150 million and $175 million and it grossed over $690 million worldwide. 

Distribution and advertisement 

It was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures in the UK and the US theatrically and across Disney channel and Disney+ (vod). The film was advertised through the use of movie trailers (played across all platforms including their own channels), posters, websites and social media pages alongside interviews with the cast and brand deals later on such as the happy meal tie in. 

Synergy and cross media 

Disney is a huge conglomerate whose influence spans out across dozens of industries. Within the media industry they are extremely integrated both vertically and horizontally - controlling production, distribution and exhibition. Their presence in all of the factors of production mean that they are able to take control of all of their profits and achieve great levels of synergy. For example, Disney promoted Moana in their magazines, on their websites and on all their exhibition platforms also (Disney Channel and Disney+.) The vast levels of integration mean that one product can create interest in all other aspects of heir business which acts as a sort of free promotion. Disney also partnered with Hawaiian airlines in the promotion of Moana which heightened interest in both businesses (airlines promote Moana and Moana generates interest in Hawaiian tourism) - this created controversy. Disney also uses synergy in other smaller ways such as releasing a soundtrack which all drives more attention towards the film. Disney are also planning to create a Moana themed attraction and Walt Disney World resort called Journey of water. This is a good example of synergy as the attraction draws attention to the film and the film draws attention to the attraction. The span of what Disney owns is very large, they could even advertise Moana on ESPN - one of the leading sports channels in the world. 

Technological convergence 

"Technological convergence, also known as digital convergence, is the tendency for technologies that were originally unrelated to become more closely integrated and even unified as they develop and advance." For example, before smartphone technology you couldn't have a calculator, camera, computer and many many more features in one place. Disney released a Moana themed game called "Moana Island life" the year after the film's initial release. As with the rest of Disney's productions they utilise synergy, the film promotes the game and the game promotes the film. They also released the soundtrack which was available on apple music and Spotify as well as having these songs be playable on a piano tiles game. Other smartphone features such as messaging stickers were released but I would say that the most notable use of technological convergence is the exhibition of Moana on Disney's Disney+ VOD app which is competing with Netflix and showcases all of Disney's original and owned content. This directs attention towards all of their other films and programmes. 

'Pride' - case study

Today I'll be researching into the 2014 film 'Pride' by Calamity Films using IMDB. This film, directed by Stephen Beresford, is a true story based on UK gay activists working to help miners during their lengthy strike of the National union of mineworkers in 1984.  

Which companies were involved with the production of Pride?

Calamity Films was the main company involved in the production this film. They are an independent film and television production company based in London most renowned for 'Pride', 'Judy', 'Brassic' and 'Last Christmas'. Presented by; Pathe UK, Pathé, CBS Films, BBC films, Proud films and BFI in participation with Canal+ and Ciné+. 

Which company distributed Pride to America? Are they a household name?

'CBS films distribution' was the company involved in distributing Pride to the USA. They are not necessarily considered as a household name however they are one of the largest conglomerates (CBS) in the films industry, owning subsidiaries such as Paramount, MTV, CBS entertainment group. Before the 2019 merger CBS and Viacom were two separate conglomerates but now ViacomCBS is one huge conglomerate profiting over $30 billion a year.  

Which company distributed pride to Europe? Are they linked to the distributor above?

'Pride' was distributed in Europe by '20th Century fox' - another huge media conglomerate which was acquired by Walt Disney Studios in 2019. There aren't many links between CBS and 20th century fox apart from that their video enterprises merged in 1984 however this is no longer the case. They are in fact competitors and two giants in the film industry. 

How would working with these distributors benefit Calamity films?

Without working with large conglomerates Calamity simple would not have the funds or power to get their films screened on a large scale to the mass audience. The whole distribution process is extremely expensive and difficult as the industry is heavily dominated by a small handful of very powerful multinationals who seem to absorb any threats and block small independents from growing. This means that independents such as Calamity films are almost forced to deal with conglomerates to attain a budget, distribution pathways and views. They may also gain important industry insights and contacts which could make the process easier or their business run smoother in the future. For example, in 2020 Calamity films hired a former BBC EP as their head of development which means they now have valuable ties to the BBC. 

D1 Creating meaning

In this post I'm going to be analysing shot by shot the purpose of the mis-en-scene, editing techniques and camera work. Looking at how they support the target audience and genre conventions compared to my original plan alongside how I think they will have been interpreted. For the much finer detail on the techniques I used when editing you can see my P5 Editing and post-production post. 

SHOT 1-  

I wanted the first shot to be framed wide and from a mid/high angle, featuring just the river with the trees lining its banks. The purpose of this opening shot was to establish the mood and time, with the wide framing representing the motif of loneliness which has been supported through the basic angle and minimal composition to add that empty feel. In addition, this short opening shot gives the audience time to settle in so when the music starts they are ready to see all the details of the next shot. There was not much meaning behind the use of a river and trees in frame however it shows that a portion of this video is set outside and identifies the nature undertones. Initially I thought I wanted to add a zoom in movement to this shot however when it came to editing I actually liked how the handheld movement established a sense of relatability which I heightened through the 4:3 crop which runs throughout the video (creating nostalgia and following genre conventions.) This shot would have been much more effective if I shot it in heavy rain as it would instigate this theme right from the start and instantly create the more solemn overtones which I desired. The logo, which I added through a long process of using the quick remove tool and bucket fill tool in photoshop, supports the artist's brand and gives added detail to the music video. Due to the process of finding this logo online and removing it from it's background using the removal tools in photoshop meant that the logo was quite pixelated and didn't have the clean look which I would have preferred.

Ideally I would have attained this logo from the artist himself, a higher definition vector would have made this opening shot appear much more clean and professional. Besides the application of the logo the remaining editing techniques were subtle and their purpose was simply to make the shot appear more professional and establish the dimmer mood that will run throughout. I slightly altered the temperature, tint and exposure of the shot to make it appear colder, greener and darker which better fits the mood of the song. 

SHOT 2- 

The second shot is the first shot backed by music meaning it had to be a reasonably striking shot without making the following shots look weak in comparison. It was also an opportunity for me to establish the idea of rain in a more abstract sense - with the multiple copies of the actor fading in to represent raindrops which initiates the cyclical structure. As the ending shot is one single copy of the actor fading away it supports this and means that that shot links back to the start. In addition, introducing this effect to the audience at the start of the video means it's less disorientating when used in the middle of the timeline. The character fading in also connotes to the conception of aliens to show that the character feels alienated - further emphasising his loneliness. When shooting I made sure to set my camera up on a tripod because this meant that as the actor moved to different positions in the frame the composition would stay the exact same which makes the process of duplicating the actor much easier in editing. 

I was happy with the 50-50 composition as it added a sense of balance and meant that there was plenty of negative space in the top half of the frame meaning this shot wasn't too intrusive. The full shot framing and eye level angle were also executed as planned and I feel that they were effective in keeping the audience distant from the character to represent his mindset. I created the main effect (duplication) by using keyframed opacity masks to separate the actor in his different positions and have him fade in whilst appearing on frame at the same time as another copy.

As I've said this effect creates the sense of alienation as well as introducing the effect, abstract rain connotations and the cyclical structure. Alongside this effect I also added a zoom in camera movement which started on beat, I created this simple effect through the use of the scale properties and key frames because the shot felt too stagnant without it when the beat dropped. It creates the feeling that everything's closing in on the character and there is a confrontational aspect which is avoided when the shot cuts to the next. Between this shot and shot 3 I added a 'luma fade' effect which was needed. This is a pretty noticeable transition which was needed as it blended the two shots together because their compositions and lighting conditions were very different. To create this effect all you have to do is animate the highlights of both shots to fade in and out of black. 

Overall I was happy with how well this shot compared with my original plan and I think it supports the genre convention of strange special effects as well as further establishing the mood. The meaning of this shot was purposefully vague as I wanted it to be decoded with an oppositional reading approach as the character is unsure about himself and doesn't know how to interpret his situation - so this is mirrored by the audience. Even if the audience don't pick up on the underlying meanings of alienation and raindrops it still familiarises them with the effect and makes the ending shot more cohesive. 

SHOTS 3 AND 4- 

Both of these shots were in order to transition the video from the outdoor scene to this indoor one otherwise the contrast between the two scenes would've been too much and made the video appear very random. Both of these shots feature tight framing, showing a close-up of the hands opening the door and the legs of the actor entering the house. I purposefully framed these shots tightly so that context was given without having the audience associate with the actor as I wanted them to relate to the actor but not on a personal level to make it seem as if the issues he experiences aren't exclusively his. In addition the close-up framing of these shots emphasises the wider framing in the following scenes. The handheld movement used in these shots just follows on from the opening shot to add continuity. These shots are quite under-lit and heavy in contrast to support the mood of the song. I did some slight colour alterations to emphasise the intended moods to make the shots appear more balanced. 

These shots (besides the opening shots) were the only ones that featured diegetic sound which I kept in as I thought it made the shots more dynamic. This is a technique which I probably should have used throughout the video to retain attention. 

These shots looked less professional than I planned due to varying white balance and possibly framing that was too tight however I think they were still effective in moving the setting of the video from one place to another. There is not much room for sways in reception as these shots featured no sub meanings or imagery.  

SHOT 5- 

This shot lasts for a longer duration than the previous shots to represent boredom which is supported by the jump-cuts from position to position which repeat each other to show the repetitiveness of the character's life - something that is relatable for most viewers at the moment. I used the cut tool to create this effect and it is one that is often used in media productions to show the passing of time and a preoccupied mental state. This was taken on a tripod so that there was no change in composition when the character moved position and I used a fish eye lens to ensure the you could see all of the room in frame as I knew the 4:3 crop would be added. This wide, fish-eye angle helps to distance the audience from the actor which reflects his mindset. There was no camera movement in this scene as I wanted the setting to appear stagnant and uninteresting to further emphasise the bored mood. When shooting, I lit this scene poorly, which I tried to combat by increasing the exposure in editing however the I didn't really have the dynamic range to make much of a change which meant this shot was poorly exposed in comparison to others. Also similar to shot 4, the white balance in this scene was inaccurate due to my own error which makes the shot seem more unprofessional. I tried to adjust for this in editing however I couldn't make it look how I had planned. Overall I think this shot will be perceived how I intended (boredom and repetition,) because this is a convention of most media productions so people clearly associate with it. In addition, I think that now more than ever people are understanding these emotions due to the situation we are all in - meaning they will find it easier to relate. This shot does adhere to genre conventions as repetition is something often outlined in 'dream pop' videos due to the songs' heavy repetition and texture - whether it be through cyclical transitions or effects. 

SHOTS 6,7 AND 8- 

This is a quick sequence of B-Roll shots simply cut together to fill time and support the motif of rain and bad weather. Shots 6 and 7 are both of houses from a high angle and tight framing whilst shot 8 is of moving water (still high angle and tight framing.) The meaning of these shots is not very deep and only serves to both fill time and support the song. The houses were shot to show being confined to them in the miserable weather and I think they were effective due to the solemn tones. Shot 8 (the water) was originally intended to be shot under heavy raining conditions to support the rain theme however I was unable to do this which created an ineffective shot which didn't fit well with the ones surrounding it in my opinion. If I were to recreate this video I would swap that shot for one with more meaning and that works more harmoniously with others. Shots 6 and 7 were shot on a tripod as it was available and shot 8 was shot with stable handheld movement which also set it apart from the others. A wide aperture was used to shoot all of these scenes as they were all quite dim due to the dark weather however shot 8 was slightly brighter which I compensated for by increasing my shutter speed. No editing techniques were used on shot 6 or 7 as I thought they were effective without the need of any special effects or colour alterations so I left them how they were. For shot 8 I started by scaling the shot in so that the river banks were not visible in the frame which made the shot look slightly better. After that I did some basic colour grading to darken the shot and make it appear heavier in contrast. Following this I cut the shot on beat and used the reverse speed tool to make the second half play backwards to create a more dynamic sense and fill out the time. The final effect which I applied to shot 8 was the blurred edge look. To create this effect I added a VR glitch, Gaussian blur and lens distortion to the clip and then used an elliptical mask so that these effects only altered the edges of the frame. 

 

SHOT 9-

In shot 9 I returned to the duplication style effect seen in shot 2 to continue the abstract connotations of rain so that it made sense with the ending shot. Although the purpose of the scenes is to isolate the subject and make him seem lonely I liked to include shots where he appeared to be in the company of himself and was therefore occupied, as the video progresses this effect is used less to symbolise that he isn't even occupied in himself which builds to the anti-climactic ending. As with shot 2 I used a tripod to ensure that the compositions of the actor in each position was exactly the same so that the effect could be executed more effectively. As with the majority of shots in this video, I framed it fairly widely to distance the character from the audience in order to remove a personal connection which reflects his mindset. I had to do some slight colour adjustments to make the shot appear darker, higher in contrast and less saturated to reflect the more melancholy mood. To create the duplication effect I just used opacity masks and stacked multiple clips so that the actor could appear in the frame multiple times.

I think the target audience would respond well to this effect as it differentiates the video from others and gives the listeners something to align the song with. In addition, the target audience of this song and video are typically younger viewers who are normally much more accepting and enthusiastic about new special effects. Overall I was happy with how well this shot compared with my original plan and I think it supports the genre convention of strange special effects as well as further establishing the mood. The meaning of this shot was purposefully vague as I wanted it to be decoded with an oppositional reading approach as the character is unsure about himself and doesn't know how to interpret his situation - so this is mirrored by the audience. Even if the audience don't pick up on the underlying meanings of alienation and raindrops it still familiarises them with the effect and makes the ending shot more cohesive. 

SHOT 10- This is a tightly framed, high angled shot of chess pieces on a board as the camera moves backwards. Only very subtle colour correction was done to this shot and the blurred effect was created by shooting using a macro attachment for added interest. The sole purpose of this shot was to transition the audience (aided by black clap transition) into the chess themed scene so that the contrast between shot 9 and shot 11 wasn't too disorientating. I am happy with how it turned out and don't think there is much room for fluctuation in audience reception.   

SHOT 11-

In this shot I was originally going to use the duplication glitch to make it appear like the character was playing chess against himself however I decided to use a simple jump-cut effect instead so that the actor didn't appear in frame twice at the same time. I decided to do this instead of duplicating because I wanted to establish that the actor is starting to feel distant from even himself. The jump-cut also establishes a sense of boredom as mentioned earlier which is useful as this is one of the key moods that the character is feeling and this should be relatable to most viewers. This shot also intertextually references 'the queen's gambit' - a tv programme revolving around chess. Once again there was no camera movement to solidify the sense of loneliness and boredom. The framing in this shot was fairly wide to allow for the whole scene in frame with the actor still being unrecognisable to the audience to support the apathetic mood. I used a single light source which is visible on screen to create a very heavily contrasting and 'moody' scene with an eye level angle to establish distance and balance. I feel that this shot is effective in emphasising the bored mood and that this will be relatable for the target audience as they have been confined to their houses for what would have been one of their most lively and active years. 

SHOT 12- A quick shot featuring the actor walking through his living room and turning his light off. This was taken from a low angle with wide framing and a central composition and was solely used to fill the gap between shot 11 and shot 12 whilst supporting the agitated feel which can be identified through the actor's body language. The upwards tilt movement adds a transitional feel to this shot, showing that he has got up from his chess game and is moving to another activity. Furthermore it helps to outline the low angle which is used for the next two shots. Only basic colour correction was applied to this shot alongside no other effects in an attempt to make it appear more professional. I'm not happy with this shot due to the inaccurate white balance and over-cluttered scene. I think I could have taken a more effective shot which joins the two scenes together more seamlessly through lighting and composition. 

SHOTS 13 and 14- 

These two shots feature the actor lighting and smoking a (fake) joint. The purpose of these shots was to introduce the theme of drug use which is something often associated with the target audience and can be related to boredom and depression - emotions represented by the character. Furthermore, the introduction of this theme means that the ending shot can be received as an overdose which adds weight to that final shot. Tight framing was used on both of these shots to maximise the amount of detail shown. In addition, this is the first close-up which the audience get of the actor which tells them that he feels closer and more open when intoxicated and more close-up shot are used past this point as well as some subtly disorientating special effects to elevate the idea of drug use. Shot 13 is composed centrally from a high angle to draw all attention to the prop whilst shot 14 is composed using the left third line to leave sufficient headroom and create a bit of space. The handheld movement in both of these shots adds a raw sense however I would've preferred for the movement to be a smooth pan/tilt alongside some more direct, single source lighting. Little was done to these shots in terms of editing however small effects were used to make the transition between shots smoother such as the 'luma fade' transition into shot 13 and out of shot 14.

This transition is created by animating the highlights in both shots to fade to black and I use it when the contrast between the two shots in terms of lighting is too much - masks out the contrast. Between shot 13 and shot 14 I used a fast zoom transition to add a more dynamic feel to the shots, this is created through the keyframing of the scale property and increased the pace of the video. The only remaining effect besides some slight colour grading was the cut to slow-mo in shot 14 which extended the focus on the smoke and meant that the pace was slowed back down before shot 15 - to create this you just use the cut tool and reduce the speed to 15%. I think this shot is fitting and relevant to the target audience as many people in the demographic have turned to drugs in lockdown as a way to self treat their mental health and this means the shot could be relatable for many. I feel like I was successful in not misrepresenting drug users as no stereotypes were outlined and effects weren't dramatised, instead left for interpretation. For more detail on how I avoided misrepresentation you can see my M2 Consideration of ethical issues task. 

SHOTS 15,16,17 AND 18-

All of these shots were B-roll and were used to solidify the themes of rain and travel whilst filling in the space between one scene and the next. A couple people who watched this video said that shot 15 was their favourite due to the colours and composition however I just can't see the appeal because I think it looks unprofessional (even though this was the intention) but I'm glad people enjoy it. Shots 15 and 16 feature the actor walking through the city at night using a wide, low composition to emphasise the lonely motif as well as outline the brightness of the lights and strong structure of the scene. I was lucky to have taken the first 3 shots in the rain to support the rain focussed chorus and re-introduce the importance of this motif. To shot 15 and 16 I added a 'glow' effect through the use of the gaussian blur effect and used the linear dodge blend mode at 25% opacity to create the surreal and disorienting blur of the lights in the video to represent the characters intoxication. Only un intrusive effects were used on shot 17 and 18 in an attempt to make it more professional  - colour grading and rotation. The 'luma' fade effect was used as a transition from shot 14 to 15 due to the high contrast in scene - so was needed to blend them more seamlessly. Apart from that no other effects were used. Despite me thinking otherwise the first shot was clearly effective in connecting with the target audience for some reason because every 16-18 year old who saw it said it was their favourite shot. These shots didn't stray far from my original plan and were reasonably effective in solidifying the theme of rain however I would've preferred if they looked more professional (better exposed.) 

SHOT 19-

This shot features a man walking down the bridge from a low angle. This man isn't the actor but the shot still establishes the sense of movement and travelling whilst showing the progression of time. The strong leading lines composition paired with the low angle adds undertones of overwhelming power that cannot be overcome. Once again I used a wide angle with stationary camera movement to create that solitary mood. In addition shooting on a tripod makes the special effects editing process a lot easier and the shot less 'shaky'. To create the faded time lag effect I imported the colour graded clip into Adobe After Effects and duplicated it 100 times, putting each duplicated clip one frame in front of the previous. Then I altered the opacity of the collected clips to create the faded look to represent the actor's distorted view and intoxication as well as adding a ghostly feel. This supports the solemn feel of the song and adheres to the genre convention of using different special effects. This shot wasn't encoded with too deep of a message so I think it will just be received by the audience as a normal shot to represent motion. This shot did go how I planned however I think that a cleaner look could've been achieved by shooting on a darker and rainier day to better support the mood of the song. 

SHOT 20- 

This shot shows the actor entering a church from an extremely wide angle. The presence of the church supports rain's holy connotations and outlines the idea that many troubled people often seek the guidance of religion. The EWS thirds composition represents isolation, a technique used throughout the video, thus adding continuity. Once again there is a lack of camera movement to add to this solidary and bored feel which the song presents. The only notable effect besides some colour grading is the duplication effect which I created by using an animated opacity mask.

The purpose of this effect is to add the idea that the character is a burden to himself, kind of looming over and dooming himself. The idea that he is avoiding something that eventually catches up to him is supported by the use of this effect throughout the video alongside the ending shot where he fades away. I was happy with how this shot turned out in conjunction with my plan even though it was not shot in rain (which would've improved it.) It is encoded with everything I was wanting - mainly the holy connotations which I hope will be received by the viewer. I did originally want this EWS low shot to be inside of the church to showcase the stained glass and outline a sense of power but this wasn't possible because of restrictions. I feel that this sense of power is still shown through the low angle though even if it looks less professional/ cohesive than I originally planned. 

SHOT 24- 

Following on from the low angled and close-up shots (21,22 and 23) shot 24 is introduced through a simple clap transition which is created through a simple block of colour being spliced where the clap in the beat hits - this seamlessly and unimposingly blends the two shots. Shot 24 features the actor calling a friend on his phone to match the lyrics and act as a prefix to shot 25 where he hangs up the phone. This shot was taken from eye-level and is framed quite tightly on a 135mm lens however there is sufficient head space to make sure the composition is balanced. In terms of editing only simple colour grading was applied to make the shot appear more harmonious with the ones that surround it long with a simple cut transition into shot 25 as the mis-en-scene was quite similar. I decided to go for smooth handheld movement in this shot as it added more interest than shooting on a tripod but the mood was not abrasive enough to have more dramatic movement. I was successful in meeting my original plan with this shot as I stuck to the same composition and mis-en-scene and it was effective in showing a link between visuals and audio. I feel like this shot could've been improved by being lit more professionally, most likely with 3 point studio lighting although I do quite like the soft feel. 

SHOT 26-

Shot 26, similar to shot 11, features the actor playing against himself. However in this shot he plays black jack against himself instead of chess and there is a more urgent and agitated feel created by his body language and the harsh cut transitions. This shot serves to represent boredom however there is a certain progression from the start of the video with the character now being frustrated and impatient in himself. The only editing done to this shot was colour alteration to make the shot a better exposed and more harmonious with the others. For notes on composition and camera work see shot 11. This shot did go to plan and I was happy with how it turned out. I think this shot is easy to decode as frustration and boredom  and any other receptions would be effective in allowing the audience to better relate to the character - aided by the use of close-ups in recent shots. 

SHOT 27- 

Originally this shot was going to be a time-lapse of a clock to show progression in time however when it came to creating the shot I decided to instead show a time-lapse of chess as this fit the board game theme as a way to pass time and avoid boredom. This was taken from a birds-eye angle as this best encompassed the full chess board and helped to diversify the range of shot types in this video to retain viewer attention. The tight framing and central composition served to draw all attention to the chess board however this attention meant that I had to pay more attention to detail - using black cloth to reduce lighting hotspots and uneven background surfaces. To create the sped up effect all you do is increase the speed of the clip (was to around 5000% I think.) The tones were slightly altered to increase contrast in order to fit the look of the rest of the video. Overall I think this shot was effective and showed the progression of time like I wanted however I think that I could have used camera movement to make this shot more interesting for the viewer. A pan shot or crane movement could have been used.

SHOTS 29, 30 and 31- 

These 3 shots follow a simple shot of the actor leaving his house, meaning that the setting has moved outdoors. The 3 shots are time-lapses of traffic passing through the town and similar to shot 27,show the progression of time and everything passing by the character too fast. I could've solidified the idea that everything is passing him by too quickly by having him still in the frame whilst the traffic time-lapsed. Furthermore, these shots could've been made much more effective by shooting in the rain, especially seeing as they are on the chorus where "rain" is repeated. In terms of editing I started by decreasing the exposure of the shots to try and make them look like they were taken on a more miserable day to fit the theme. Then I sped up the clips for the time-lapse effect to create the feeling of time passing too quickly to keep up with. This disorientating mood was supported by the blurred edges look. I created this by using an inverted elliptical mask with lots of effects (VFX glitch, gaussian blur, lens distortion and geometry distortion.) I feel like these shots will be subconsciously perceived by the audience as the passing of time because this a technique frequently used in media which indicates that it is effective. Also means I'm using indirect intertextual references. 

SHOTS 32, 33 AND 34- 

These 3 shots don't have much embedded meaning and only serve to both fill time and create a contrast in pace when paired with the shots that follow. They are all centrally composed B-Roll shots that show location and solidarity through the minimal subjects. Shot 32 is stationary whilst shots 33 and 34 feature the same sideways movement as they were both taken on the train of similar scenes. The stationary scene is a slight breather and the other two shots infer a sense of progression/direction - the character going somewhere. I barely edited these shots besides using regular cuts at a fast pace to outline the much slower pace of the shots that follow as this will increase their emotion and create the sense that time has stopped and it's all coming to an - technically and metaphorically. These shots went to plan.

SHOTS 35, 36 AND 37- 

These 3 shots maintain a somewhat fast paced for the reasons which I outlined in the previous paragraph however the mis-en-scene is much more plain and they are placed directly before one of the longest shots in the video which increases the effect of that shot (also aided by the light to dark contrast.) Furthermore, I kept the shaky movement of the time-lapse as it adds a sense of rawness and urgency as well as contrasting the smooth stable movement of shot 38. As usual I sped up the clips to give the time-lapse look and signify the passing of time - the shaky movement was natural because I shot on a super windy day however I really like this effect. It reminds me of a Pontus Alv directed skate video. The colours were slightly altered to make the scene appear 'moodier' however no more editing techniques were used - just regular cuts. I am happy with how these shots turned out as I like their simplicity and I think they are effective in creating a lonely feel. I feel like these shots would've been greatly improved by shooting in heavy rain because it both supports the song and also symbolises the the mood is possibly getting more solemn and heavy.

SHOT 38- 

Shot 38 is an 8 second time-lapse tripod shot of night traffic in Leeds with a slight difference created by the editing technique. This shot was taken from a high angle looking down onto the streets with a pretty full leading lines composition. On the left side of the frame we can see the red tail lights whilst on the left side there are white lights and some buses. To kind of process what going on in the frame and the effect being used you have to look at the shot for quite a while which is one of the reasons why I let this shot run for a longer duration. Another reason why I decided to do this was to abruptly capture the audiences attention and break the fast paced cycle - preparing them for the slow ending and outlining the feelings of boredom and loneliness. Once again this shot symbolises the idea that time is passing by too quickly for the character to process and he feels lost. The blurred effect supports this idea and also alludes to the drug use seen earlier on. The method for creating this effect after speeding up the clip is the same as shot 19 - adding continuity and supporting the overall cyclical structure of the video. I like how this shot turned out and I'm glad that it was shot in the rain to work with the theme of the song. 

SHOT 40- 

This shot follows on from a short time-lapse shot of clouds passing on the moors which reflects the mood of the song. Shot 40 then features the actor walking through the moors (shot 39 re-established this location). Shot 40 has been taken from a low angle to create a slightly overwhelming yet minimal composition alongside the leading lines which add direction (which is contrasted by the ending shot.)  In terms of editing effects I followed the same process as shot 38 and shot 19 (blurry movement) to add continuity and support the idea that the character feels disorientated and lost. I avoided camera movement in this shot and the shots surrounding it because this aided the lonely feel and supported the boredom felt by the character. I think that I'm happy with this shot overall as it is fairly synoptic with the look I had planned however I think that once again it could've been improved by shooting in the rain as this would've led to more muted tones and a more dramatic feel. I'm not too bothered about how this shot is decoded by the audience as I feel that it subconsciously establishes the sense of direction which I will cut of at the end - and if the audience also pick up on the lost feeling then that's an added bonus. I didn't come into the creation of this video with a set way of how I would like he video to be decoded as I think things can be much more relatable if left up to interpretation - especially with a boring song like this where there's time to.

SHOT 41- 

Shot 41 is the penultimate shot of the video and is just a basic time-lapse of the actor walking across the horizon. I purposefully went for a more basic composition than Shot 40 to gradually reduce the sense of direction. There are no leading lines in this shot and the direction is only established by the actor walking from left to right in the frame (left to right is more natural for a western viewer to watch.) There are two thirds negative space above the horizon, following typical thirds compositional rules - this super basic mis-en-scene is purposeful as it represents a move back to simplicity when the actor finally disappears in the final shot. To create the time-lapse I just increased the speed of the clip to the correct value which fit the slot I needed. The shakiness was created by the unstable tripod in the extreme wind and I did originally intend on stablising this clip when editing however I really like how it looks as it kind of contrasts the stable feel of the mis-en-scene. In addition it is reminiscent of Pontus Alv's style - one of my favourite film-makers and thus adding an inter textual aspect. I am happy with this shot and I think that all I would've done to improve it would've been better exposure/dynamic range to make it look slightly more professional. 

SHOT 42- 

This 20 second shot is the finale of the video and features the actor walking into the centre of frame and then slowly fading away until invisible in the scene. The shot was taken from a below eye-level angle to subtly infer a sense of power and stability which is supported by the strong central composition and very simple block coloured mis-en-scene. The lack of camera movement besides a slight shake adds a raw feel whilst supporting the characters now resolved mindset as he disappears. His fading away has multiple purposes which is intentional as I want it to be open for relation and interpretation like the rest of the video. The first purpose is to add a cyclical structure, the opening shot of the video sees multiple copies of the character fade in like rain drops whilst this shot sees a singular character fade away like evaporation which adds a nice loop to the plot of the video. This shot can also represent the death of the character, either via a suicide or a drug overdose which would link to the special effects and disorientation/confusing feel. In addition it can also connote that the character possibly feels he is not fit for this world, following on from the surreal and outer-world mood of the first shot. To create the fading away effect I collected two shots - one base shot of the scene without the actor and another of the actor walking into frame and standing still. Then in editing I used key-framed opacity to have the top shot (actor) disappear and have the base shot show. I'm happy with how this shot turned out and wouldn't have changed much besides possibly adding some non-diegetic rain sounds at the very end to add further circular structure and remind the viewer of the song's theme because the shot wasn't taken in the rain unfortunately. 

Summary 

Overall I think I was fairly successful in using editing techniques to support the mood and meaning of the song although the rainy theme should've definitely been supported by shooting in rain more often if not for all of the video (besides the inside scenes). I think that this would've made a huge difference in making the video more synoptic with the audio and added much more continuity/style. Furthermore I feel that I should have utilised camera movement better to possibly bend shots or just add a more professional/dynamic shots towards the middle where it was needed to retain attention. Some special effects such as the data mosh effect which I had to replace due to them not looking how I hoped would've been cool to use alongside some deep dream effects after the character smoke however this required lots of camera movement for a good effect. This meant I had to decide between lots of camera movement or these effects. Overall I feel that the overall mood conveyed and the mood which the audience decode will be boredom. This video should be relatable for the younger viewer (or anyone under the current circumstances) as it supports the bored mood of the song, we can see the artist sort of vent his boredom through the lyrics and instrumental which I tried to mirror in the video through the character and imagery - with more morbid connotations as it progresses.